Thanks For The Lift! By: Curlyfro
Damn it's hot here! I am getting blisters just from standing! I really wished I was in Hades at least there is a cool breeze there! I don't even know how I got to spend eternity in Tartarus, I guess I should be flattered since everyone else here is...well...fit and a bit...uhm...scarey. I did happen to make a friend though. Yeah, I guess I am like "mom would be proud of me". Which she wouldn't, I mean look, I am in hell. She would probably think it was because I voted for Nader instead of Obama. Of course she also doesn't know I broke Hank McDogal's transformer in third grade and then blamed it on Alice Williams. For some reason I can't picture my new friend cyclopes being here for the same reason. I guess that is partially because I can't see him having friends and partially because I can't see him enjoying a toy that can transform from something cool and normal into a fighting machine, when he can't transform from an ugly fighting machine into ...well...anything. So I have been here for...oh...ever! Seriously that's what it seems like. There is nothing to do but sweat, and I don't mean from toiling. We do nothing, stand around, sit around, lay around. Every move we make is watched by Campe ( I think she has the hots for Cyclopes, ha ha ha...get it "the hots", like she is about to combust!) Ha- ah, at least life down here has given me a sense of humor, I never used to be funny before, though Cyclopes tells me I am still not funny, just delirious. I think he is just jealous because while he has Campe checking him out I have three Hecatonchires flirting with me. I try to act all suave about it, but really I am disturbed. These guys have 100 hands and 50 heads each, not real attractive. Although some of faces are more attractive then others, I can't get past the 100 hands. What if 49 of the heads like you and one doesn't? I could be choked...or what if only one likes you and 49 don't! It's just suicide! I do feel sorry for them though, I guess their parents sold them off to the builder of Tartarus (too many mouths to feed, ha ha ha). They were given instructions to make it impossible to escape... and well...they were really good architects! I do find it amusing though that Campe doesn't realise she is also imprisoned here. I am sure she is not getting a paycheck and even if she is, it's not like she can go to Starbucks, so what's the point! Although I do wonder how she got the fire resistant yarn. She made Cyclopes a fanny pack, which looks funny since he wears it naked. yeah, seriously, no one here but me wears clothes...and they wonder why they are freaks!
Ooh, that is the buzzer announcing a visitor. I hope it is not the kid again trying to get sponsors to go to Disney World. I mean what are parents thinking these days? Do they even know where their kids are? Oh- well, whoever it is is HUGE! Ha, that's funny, he has a name sticker that says "hello my name is"....must be a long one, it is really small....
"Will you release the one who goes by Cyclopes peacefully?" The big guy asks.
"Cyclopes? NO! Anyone but Cyclopes, take that scrawny one there instead!" With that he tazzered her! Cripes! I thought, he is going to take me and then eat me for a snack! I dove into Cyclopes fanny pack, which he wasn't wearing at the moment, and shivered (from a chill, but not a cold chill).
"You are free. Will you come with me and help fight the Titan giants?" up close I could read his name tag Zeusard William Kowosky III, which meant nothing to me.
"Zeus, good friend, that's elementary, you know I love a good fight!"
Zeus? Wow! should I crawl out and get an autograph...hm...my paper had all burst into flames upon arrival. I guess he could sign my chest, but then wouldn't I be mistaken for Zeus? When I looked back up they were both retreating and the Hecatonchires were moving in on me. Luckily the movement caught Zeusard's attention.
"Is that your fanny pack?" he asked Cyclopes.
"gad dads! Yes, thank you Zeus you always were a swell guy when you wanted something! AHH It seems to have gotten heavier, do you mind if we stop at the gym before the big fight?"
And that was how I escaped the underworld and the Hecatonchires.
Again, I sit on this rock exhausted but not broken. Bruised and cut I have survived another day. It has taken six long years to get to this point. Anyone who joined me has been reduced to ash or corpse. Once again, my axe and shield remain my only companions.
ReplyDeleteIt seems I have finally carved out a space in the underworld for myself. With a single entrance it is easy to defend and a gravel ramp allowing for early warning, this cave is where I can rest. Positioned half way up a cliff and off the beaten path this small cavern has become my new shelter.
Yesterday, Minotaurs and today hell hounds. It has been an arduous battle to survive. I learned very quickly that humans are the hunted here. It is an ironic plight. When we walked the surface we thought we could kill without consequence and did so without care. Every animal, every beast we hunted or consumed has hunted us here and the numbers have no end.
Since I arrived in the realm of Hades, no sooner did I step off the ferry did the struggle begin. First I fought with fists and later with makeshift stone tools, it was only a stroke of luck that I happened across my axe and shield. Very few things ever make it across the Styx river without being lost forever.
Day by day my strength slowly melts away and a some gruesome end seems inevitable. I have seen few men or women last longer than a decade or two before being reduced to nothing. From what I understand the soul doesn’t part from the body here. Even if you are eaten…
Maybe I don’t have to suffer that end…? Maybe I can return to the land of the living? Is that even possible? Is it possible to get out of here? Everything I’ve heard says it cannot be done. Or maybe no one has ever tried it…? I do remember a legend of someone returning but that was just that – a legend. If is it possible would he risk be worth it? Is looming lost for an eternity worth the risk of returning to the surface? It could be… How would I do it? Well, I died in battle and woke up on the dock waiting for Charon to ferry me across the river. He dropped me off not too far from here... I would have to get back to the dock, get a ride back across the river and get off the boat without being detected. If I could do that, I could find my way back home. It’s taken so long for me to get my own shelter. Do I want to just give this away? Is it worth it? … If I survive this endeavor, I can re take this cave! It is worth walking though the grass of my homelands and well worth seeing my wife again! Night has fallen on this land. If I am going to do this I would need to go now!
Wow, It is dead quiet out here only the sound of flowing lava. Get down the rock ramp. One step at a time. Got it. Let’s get around this rock wall. What is that!? That sounds like … Jackals? Oh, man, poor guy. It looks like he killed five out of the seven but the last two got him. Stay bent over, get through this ravine. Ok, they won’t see me in this darkness. Let’s skirt this rock crater. I am hoping the darkness can fully conceal me. That echoing cry sounds like a … Keep low! Keep low. There is the dock! Get over to the bank. Stay close to the bank. Keep going … Keep going. The dock, so close! A whole crew is off loading. The guards are distracted by the new arrivals. Under the dock…. Stay down. Stay down.
Made it. Need something to fasten me to the boat…? But what? My shield, let’s pull the handle off of the shield. It will give me something to hold on to. Let’s swim out and latch onto the boat. The water is so dark. Swampy dark. So void. I hope nothing is in it... I hope I can make it to the boat without being pulled under. It’s already hard to breath here let alone under water.
ReplyDeleteWow, this water just draws life from me… Ok at the boat. Wedge this in between the boards and let’s get out of the water before some … thing knows I’m here. Axe handle, get it wedged. If I can hold myself out of the water on this side of the boat I just might make it. This side of the boat turns towards the rock face. That will lessen the change of something seeing me and this coat of seaweed stuff from the water, might just help me blend in. Let’s use my belt to secure me to the handle and boat. Ok, I’m out of the water and securely fastened. Some beats can draw a man from his own mind. If there is any temptation to leave the boat my belt will keep me attached. Now … Now I wait.
Those faces in the water... So many... So much pain... So much anguish... I am drawn to them… Don’t look! Focus on the task at hand! Ok, Still secured. Waiting! The boat is starting to creak. It must be getting ready to leave. Once at the other shore I will need to wait for people to board before getting off. With some luck their sounds will mask my own.
We are moving. Wow, those are some loud creeks. I can’t see the front of the boat, so I am hoping this is the side that will face the dock when we get there. Amazing, the boat just carves through the water with so many bodies in the way. Countless of bodies. The water is filled with them. How many bodies are there? I didn’t know this many people existed. We are picking up speed. This is good. We are moving sail boat in strong winds.
Hands! Hands are reaching out of the water to grab hold of me! But I want to touch them. So much pain… They need me… They call to me. Wait! Focus! Bring your hands back in! On the boat! Securely fastened! Focus! Focus! It’s good I tied myself off this high up they can’t touch me.
Eyes! A whole school of something’s eyes are breaking the surface. They are moving closer. Right next to the boat behind me! Should I remove my axe?! I might fall into the water! No! Hold on maybe they speed of the boat will tire them out. Teeth, I see teeth! They are getting even closer. I can kick then if they attack but if they latch on to my leg I am as sure as lost… Tuck my legs in a bit. At least make it more difficult for them. I hope they don’t have tentacles like the water creatures. The boat is speeding up! Ok, hold on... Hold... Hold... They are starting to lose ground… They broke of their pursuit!
We must be at the edge of Hades’s domain. We must be at the crossing between life and death. My energy is starting to return. My body is strengthening. It is easier to hold on... I had no idea I was this far gone.
Faster than a warship with a thousand rowers. The boat is really moving now. No more bodies littering the water. No more eyes – from what I can see.
A cool breeze. I’m cold! The breeze coming off of the boat... It has been years since I’ve been cold and its getting easier to breath.
Hades must draw energy from its arrivals. I didn’t remember how long of a ride this was. Seems we are about half way to the other dock. Interesting, the water currents flow towards his domain. No man could swimming against these tides. Only a god could master these waters.
ReplyDeleteWith some luck, courage and maybe a little help from Zeus I might actually make this trip. If I make it back I will have a feast in his honor to give thanks.
I can see the shore. It still looks like a giant cavern. I hadn’t noticed the color of the rock before – what an ugly color…
The boat is slowing down. I can see the dock. That is a lot of people... Those are some big groups on shore. They are all lined up … waiting. There must have been a war or something to send that many down at once.
The boat is moving really slow now. Now we are at a crawl. The empty look of nothingness in all their faces... Not one of has looked over at the boat..?
Stopping at the dock. At least the water is clearer on this side. All of the blank faces. That looks like Marcus from the McGregor clan but I can’t be sure. It’s difficult to see through the wood planks and all the feet on the dock.
Ok, they are starting to board. One, passenger. Two, three. Let’s start to detach. Four, five. Let’s get into the water. Six, seven, eight. This water is cold! Let’s slowly swim to the shore. Nine, ten, eleven. At the shore. Twelve, Thirteen. The boat is starting to get weighed down. Fourteen, Fifteen. A dark spot. Lets hide here until the boat is gone...
…
How many is that? I seemed to have lost count at some point. For such a small boat – it holds a lot of people. I guess the dead aren’t that heavy. No more footsteps. That sounded like the last passenger.
That loud creaking again … the boat seems to be ready to depart. And there she goes. It is amazing, it moves so smoothly though the water. Let’s wait until it is out of sight before moving on…
Finally it’s out of sight.
There doesn’t appear to be guards on this side. No sentinels no roving patrols… Good. Dock is clear. The landing bank is clear. I don’t remember there being an entrance to the doc area… I just remember showing up here. Let’s follow that rock face to that opening. And maybe that cavern to the surface..? If I can make it to the surface I should be free of this place. It sure smells like a cave in here. I haven’t smelt that since I was a boy and went in search of King Mcloone’s amulet. Some fond memories. It was suppose to be magical. Make you invisible to death … or something like that. I was going to be king!... It has been so long.
Though caverns path is steep, I need to keep my wits and stay on guard. I’m not out of here yet.
I’ve never seen a cavern path this steep for this long – It must be miles to the surface. Ok, It’s flattening. What is that smell? Rain! Let’s pick up the pace a bit. An entrance to the outside! Sunlight! Ouch! Ouch- my eyes! … People must hide! Dark corner!... I am shivering from the cold. Ok, slow breathing … so many black faces and stares… Let them pass. Let them go. The move like mindless animals. Let’s get up and get back to the entrance.
ReplyDeleteIt’s raining and sunny outside..? Rain, what a welcomed smell. The sunlight even looks warm. Let’s get across this open area before more people come up the path. No sign of guards or patrols. Need to hide for a while. Let’s wait in that cluster of rocks. There are enough rocks to not make it look like an obvious place to hide. The grass is slippery on this lope. Ok, rocks. Let’s wait and observe for a while. Let’s make sure nothing followed or has spotted me. My axe is so old I don’t know if it will do much to any threat .
So far so good. Another group of people walking up the path. So, many. There must be a war raging somewhere. They are mainly soldiers with some women and some children.
…
I’ve been here several hours now. It’s edging towards nightfall. Things are really cooling off... I hope it doesn’t snow here. That would be an interesting end. Die from freezing to death after escaping the underworld. How would I explain that to Hades…? I won’t survive but a couple of days with this ratted tunic and trousers. My shoes need a good working too.
Nothing seems to have followed me and I don’t seem to have been spotted. Once night falls I’ll get out of this territory and find my way home.